Chicken Pasta Primavera with Basil Cream Sauce

         Spring is my favorite time of the year because not only are flowers in bloom but we start to see beautiful fruit and vegetables making their appearance in the markets. Since I love fresh vegetables and also love pasta I thought I would make a dish which featured both. Pasta is one of my most favorite foods besides French fries. I would eat it everyday if I could but I try to limit it to once a week. One of my goals this year is to learn how to make fresh pasta. I don't know why just the thought of making it intimidates me. Anyway, I digress again.


        Not too long ago I went to dinner with my husband and some friends and Pasta Primavera was ordered. I was very dismayed when it came out to the table. It hardly had any vegetables in it and the ones it did were not very fresh. All and all the dish was a disappointment. I decided I wanted to make a version of it at home with the dish being centered around fresh vegetables. I did not want a tomato sauce like the one it was served in but thought a basil cream sauce would compliment it better. All I can say is my dish looked a lot better than the one at the restaurant. I definitely will be making it again. I used bow tie pasta in my dish but your favorite type will work as well with it. The sauce was a little thinner than I wanted but that may be due to the fact I used too much chicken broth. I think 1/2 cup would have been better or with reduced white wine.

Chicken Pasta Primavera with Basil Cream Sauce

 

Ingredients

 

1. 1 lb. chicken cubed
2. 2 T of butter
3. 1 onion diced
4. 1 zucchini diced
5. 1 squash diced
6. 8 oz. mushrooms sliced
7. 4 cloves of garlic minced
8. 1 red pepper diced
9. 1 head of broccoli broken
10. 2 T olive oil
11. 2/3 c chicken broth

 

Ingredients for the Sauce

1. 1 1/2 c heavy cream
2. 1/2 c parmesan cheese and a little more for sprinkling
3. 1 bunch of basil
4. 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
5. 1/2 tsp. of salt
6. 1/2 tsp. of black pepper

 

Directions

 

       For the sauce blend all ingredients in the blender and set aside

 

• Cook pasta according to directions, drain, toss with 1 T of butter and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a pan with 1 T butter.

• Salt and pepper chicken and cook until done and set aside.

• Cook onion in leftover oil and butter mixture and cook until soft.
• Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add vegetables and cook until softened.

• Add the chicken broth and cook until reduced.

• Add the basil cream mixture and bring to a simmer.
• 

   
• Taste and salt and pepper sauce if necessary.
• Add the chicken back in and let it warm through.
• Remove from heat and let it sit for a couple of minutes so the sauce can thicken. Add the pasta and toss in the cream mixture.
• Place in bowls and top with more parmesan cheese if desired.